Saturday, July 12, 2014

German team manager Oliver Bierhoff warned his players on Friday to avoid a repeat in the FIFA World Cup™ final with Argentina of the ugly scenes that marred the end of the two sides' quarter-final at Germany 2006.

Bierhoff, who has been in the post since 2004, found himself in the thick of it when punches were thrown after Argentina lost a tense penalty shoot-out to Germany. Of the three players punished for the punch up just Maxi Rodriguez remains.

"The Argentinians are very warm people and great hosts, but on the pitch they have a bit of a personality change and get fired up," Bierhoff said. "They have fire in their eyes, which we will have to be ready for and not provoke them.

"They play hard, aggressive physical football, which means we can't steer away from our football philosophy and must focus on what we have to do," added the 46-year-old former international striker, who was a member of the side that won the UEFA EURO 1996 title and played in the 2-0 defeat by Brazil in the 2002 World Cup final.

Bierhoff says Argentina will be a different proposition compared to hosts Brazil after Germany ran riot to claim a remarkable 7-1 semi-final win in Belo Horizonte.

"It will be a different game compared to the semi-final, they defend deep, leave little space to run into and wait for (Lionel) Messi to show a moment of magic," Bierhoff said. "We have to play our own game, run the extra mile and not give them the space they need."

This is the sixth time Germany will meet Argentina at the World Cup and the third time in the final -- with both sides tied at 1-1 in terms of the title match.

Germany lost 3-2 in Mexico in 1986 and gained revenge four years later beating Argentina -- who were reduced to nine men -- 1-0.

German captain Philipp Lahm, one of five players in the present squad who faced Argentina in Berlin eight years ago, said history will not be a factor at the Maracana.

"I don't think there aren't so many players still around from 2006, I remember it came to fists, pushing and shoving after the final whistle, but I don't think it will play a role," the 30-year-old said.

"It doesn't matter if it was four or eight years ago, we just want to focus on Rio."

Bixente Lizarazu has been a ubiquitous presence in the French football media for several years now. Be it on the radio, television, or in the written press, the 1998 FIFA World Cup™ and 2000 UEFA European Championship winner has shown as much versatility off the pitch as he did in his playing days.

In Brazil to cover the 2014 World Cup, the former France and Bayern Munich left-back took time out of his busy schedule to grant an exclusive interview to FIFA.com, during which he discussed the eventful semi-finals, Sunday’s showpiece match and his own country’s performances in the tournament.

FIFA.com: What did you think after watching Brazil’s incredible semi-final loss to Germany?Bixente Lizarazu: Lots of different things. What happened was pretty illogical. When a team loses 7-1 in a World Cup semi-final, you can’t really do much technical or tactical analysis. The way I see it, psychological and emotional aspects came into play. I think that the World Cup has been emotionally draining for the Brazilians; that’s the only explanation I can come up with. You got the impression that lifting the trophy was a matter of life and death – before the matches, during the anthems and at other key moments. Emotions were running high. Top-level football requires cool heads, and it seemed like Brazil didn’t have enough of them.

Did Brazil really have a chance of going all the way, in your opinion?Some people are commenting after the event and saying that the team wasn’t very good, but they still managed to beat Chile and Colombia, who had both looked dangerous. Of course, they were without Neymar and Thiago Silva during the semi-final, but the entire team had an off day – they didn’t become a fifth division outfit overnight. It all just got too much for them which had an effect on their game.

Can the Brazilians pick themselves up and secure third place versus the Netherlands? I don’t know: I’ve never had to face that type of situation, which is almost unique at the World Cup. If Luiz Felipe Scolari had a magic solution, he would have used it at half-time to ensure the players pulled themselves together. It’s like someone who’s been on edge for weeks and weeks due to a build-up of all kinds of things, and who eventually cracks and has a nervous breakdown. There’s nothing more to add about Saturday's match, which will not be easy to play in, and which, whatever happens, will not erase the memory of their 7-1 defeat.

How much credit should be given to Germany?Everyone’s talking about Brazil, and of course something wasn’t quite right because of the huge gap between the sides. But that said, I thought Germany put in an outstanding performance. Tactically, they’ve been exceptional during the World Cup. They managed to sort out their problems as they went along, especially in defence against Algeria, where they were rescued by Manuel Neuer. Philipp Lahm was put back to right-back, and the two defensive midfielders, Sami Khedira and Bastian Schweinsteiger, have gotten a little bit better with every match. I’d say the turning point came against France, with Mats Hummels returning to central defence. Germany became a well-balanced team from that point onwards. A lot of people are playing down the Germans’ role, because of Brazil being eliminated, but in 2002, 2006, 2010 and 2014, Germany reached the semi-final stage or better.

They’re a very crafty team – they can slow the game down and dictate the pace. They think about what they’re doing and they’re not easy to break down.FIFA World Cup winner Bixente Lizarazu on Argentina

How do you explain their consistency in major tournaments?They’ve had some great generations when they didn’t win. They deserved it at times, but that doesn’t really mean anything. I’d say they came closest at EURO 2012, where they lost to Italy due to terrible defensive mistakes, despite being the pre-match favourites. Perhaps they were a little too obsessed with playing attractive football. In my opinion, Germany are, along with Spain, the team that often produces the highest quality of football, but they were lacking certain things, such as the ability to finish off a match when necessary. Here, we’ve seen them adapt to lots of different situations, before attaining tactical perfection against Brazil. There are days like that where everything you touch turns to gold, with lovely passing triangles and interchanges, and goals coming from practically every shot. This generation deserves to finally win a major title, because they’ve been so close several times.

Argentina-Germany, is that a final you like the sound of?It should be a great final. Argentina have had trouble getting going in this tournament. They’ve also had defensive problems, but have made some clever selection choices, with Martin Demichelis starting in central defence, Lucas Biglia moving to a different position, and Javier Mascherano bossing things in midfield. All of those tweaks have provided balance to the team. They put in an excellent defensive performance versus Belgium, and against the Netherlands too, where you had two strong defences squaring off. They’ve lost a key player in Angel Di Maria, and it’s not clear yet if he’ll be able to play in the final, but they’ve got Lionel Messi, who’s been in decisive form, and who also intends to write his own bit of history. Gonzalo Higuain has been very good in the last couple of matches, while Sergio Aguero is available again, so there’s a lot of attacking potential. They’re a very crafty team – they can slow the game down and dictate the pace. They think about what they’re doing and they’re not easy to break down. Their forwards’ speed, liveliness and technical ability are impressive, but what has struck me the most about them is the way they break up their opponents’ rhythm. The Netherlands were barely allowed to show what they could do, despite the fact that they were one of the most entertaining teams we’ve seen here.

Let’s talk about France a little. Were you pleased by how they played during the World Cup? There were things that I liked, but the way it all ended was disappointing and a little bit frustrating. I thought they lacked flair towards the end – that’s the one thing I regret. That said, they had to face Germany, and we’ve since seen what they’re truly capable of. They’re an experienced side that have been through a lot together, which is not yet the case for France. They either held back and tried to be too prudent, or they had nothing left in the tank; whatever it was, there was a real lack of verve. For me, the Nigeria game was the toughest, because we were favourites, while against Germany we weren’t. That’s why it would have been nice to see them throw caution to the wind and tell themselves they had nothing to lose. I felt like they had more to give.

What did you feel were France’s plus points? Didier Deschamps. I like him a lot, because his goals and approach were very clear, from his team selection to the message he tried to get across. He was able to find the right blend of players and the right words at the right time. He made sure the team didn’t get carried away after their 5-2 win over Switzerland. He brought back stability and order to the side, which was no easy task. A sense of calm returned to the squad, and it was nice to see everything go back to normal. That important groundwork will be of great use in the next couple of years. I also like his honesty. He's not a dreamer, he’s a builder, and I like that mentality, because you can’t just create a winning team overnight, even less so one that can lift the World Cup. However, in two years’ time, when we host EURO 2016, we’re going to be very solid indeed.

Today, FIFA.com announced the official shortlist of Hyundai Young Player Award candidates for the 2014 FIFA World Cup™. You have until the final whistle on 13 July to submit your predictions!

The Hyundai Young Player award recognises the contribution made by young players upon their debut on football’s greatest stage, the 2014 FIFA World Cup. Can you predict which young star will follow the likes of Lukas Podolski (2006) and Thomas Muller (2010) into the FIFA World Cup record books?

All the nominated players have a sensational tournament, but which one will walk away with the prestigious award? Will it be Memphis Depay (NED), Paul Pogba (FRA) or Raphael Varane (FRA)?. Submit your prediction now and you could win one of 30 Hyundai premium sets! Each set includes a specially branded adidas brazuca football and Fuleco. All entries that correctly predict the Young Player will be placed into the prize draw.

Argentina had to rely upon their leader and Barcelona star to squeeze past the Netherlands and reach their first FIFA World Cup Final™ for 24 years, but it wasn't the one they expected.

Javier Mascherano continued his fine World Cup with a last-ditch tackle deep into stoppage time to prevent Arjen Robben's goalbound effort from breaking the deadlock before Argentina prevailed on penalties.

"It was more my job. When Robben took a heavy touch, he lost a second, and I was able to make the challenge. I did what anyone would have done," Mascherano argued modestly afterwards.

Whilst four-time World Player of the Year Lionel Messi carries the armband and provides the stardust, Mascherano is the heart and soul of this Argentina side.

If Messi leads by his example, Mascherano is the vocal leader. The latest example of that coming before the penalty shoot-out against the Dutch when "the little chief" could be seen telling goalkeeper Sergio Romero, "tonight you become a hero in Argentina." Romero went onto make the two crucial saves in the shoot-out.

Mascherano had been captain at the last World Cup under Diego Maradona, who claimed after taking the job his side would be "Mascherano and 10 more."

And with the current Argentinian side on the verge of emulating his achievements of winning the World Cup in 1986, it was Mascherano not Messi who earned the plaudits of Maradona.

"When I said it was Mascherano and 10 more, they laughed," he said on Wednesday. "Now they cannot laugh. The example on the pitch is Mascherano. Everyone follows his rhythm so they cannot score against us."

Score against them is what no one has managed to do in the knockout phase and Argentina had battled their way to the final in a way no one expected.

Backline bodyguardMessi's has been a World Cup of moments rather than spell-binding dominance, whilst the other three of La Albiceleste's fantastic four: Sergio Aguero, Gonzalo Higuain and Angel Di Maria have all been affected by a lack of fitness or form.

Instead it is the work of Mascherano patrolling his backline that has contributed to four clean sheets in six games in Brazil. His form is all the more amazing given he hasn't played his preferred role at club level for four years since signing for Barcelona.

Converted into a central defender by Pep Guardiola, Mascherano has experienced highs and lows at Barcelona with his lack of height and pace often exploited in the last line of defence. Yet, so beloved is he within the club that last month he was rewarded with a new contract until 2018.

"I would never, ever sell him and I wouldn't swap him for anyone," Guardiola said before his exit from the club in 2012.

That change of position has also had its benefits for Argentina. Playing at Barcelona has greatly improved Mascherano's distribution and he has played more passes at a higher success rate than any other player at the World Cup.

The biggest test of his capabilities is yet to come, though, in denying a rampant German side that smashed hosts Brazil 7-1 in the other semi-final.

"We know that on Sunday we will play the game of our lives. We hope to crown this with the trophy, but either way I feel so proud of this squad," he added. "It is a dream for all of us to return Argentina to this possibility."